OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card
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Recommended Credit Score
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A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
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- Annual Fee:
- $35
- Purchase Intro APR:
- N/A
- Regular APR:
- 18.89% (variable)
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OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card: Details and benefits
The two reasons you may want to apply for the OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card is if you don’t own a checking account, but still want access to a credit card, or if you’re looking for a secured card with a decent annual percentage rate.
For everyone else, the $35 annual fee should make this card a non-starter.
That being said, OpenSky Secured Visa can help you build or rebuild your credit, as the issuer, Capital Bank, reports your monthly payments to the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Applicants do not have to have a credit history, and Capital Bank will not run a credit check.
As with most secured credit cards, your credit limit is determined by the amount you deposit, between $200 and $3,000.
We like that the annual percentage rate for purchases isn’t as bruising as with some secured cards. You’ll pay 18.89% variable APR, which is higher than standard credit card interest rates, but lower than the 20% APR or higher you’ll find on other cards.
Advantages
- You’ll pay no interest on purchases made during the first billing cycle.
- You don’t need a bank account to apply.
- The APR is relatively low compared with other secured credit cards.
Disadvantages
- You can only apply online, which may not be palatable to some.
- Your monthly income must be higher than your monthly expenses to qualify.
- Because this card is issued through Capital Bank, your account history with them must be in good standing.
- There’s a $35 annual fee.
Who should get this card
If you don’t have a bank account and/or your credit check would make a traditional credit card issuer avoid your calls, an OpenSky secured credit card may be just what you’re looking for.
But there’s no reason for most people to pay the $35 annual fee. We caution most consumers to avoid paying such fees on secured cards, as there are plenty of annual-fee-free options for consumers with limited credit.
Get the most value from OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card
OpenSky’s secured credit card offers a lot of flexibility for funding an account, which makes it a great option for those who have thin or less-than-optimal credit files. You can choose from using a debit card, writing a check, or for the unbanked, a Western Union transfer or mailing in a money order.
Get the most value from it by using it responsibly. That means paying your balances in full each month so you don’t accrue interest, making payments on time and monitoring your credit score periodically to track your progress.